Type 1 diabetes is a serious autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system to attack the healthy cells of the pancreas. These cells are responsible for producing insulin, which the body needs to balance blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes affects nearly three million Americans today. It usually comes on in childhood and requires constant management.
People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have to check their insulin levels multiple times a day. Multiple insulin injections per day are normally required. In some cases, an insulin pump that continually provides the blood with insulin is needed. Unfortunately, insulin injections and even insulin pumps do not prevent the damage that type 1 diabetes can cause.
Type 1 diabetics can suffer from blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, infertility or pregnancy complications, nerve damage, low circulation, and may even end up having multiple amputations because of the damage. The blood sugar and insulin levels of a type 1 diabetic require constant and meticulous observation. It can be nearly impossible to control because so many things can affect blood sugar. Hormones, stress, food, exercise, rest, medications, illness, and age are only some of the factors that can change these levels.
Atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD or atherosclerosis) is the leading cause of death in patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It is not fully understood why, but diabetes affects the function of the endothelial cells that line the arteries, blood vessels and capillaries. These cells normally emit nitric oxide, which relaxes the muscles within the blood vessels. They also prevent leukocyte adhesion and regulate the removal of fats and proteins from the blood. They are responsible for communicating how much glucose or insulin is in the blood at any given time. When they are damaged, it is referred to as endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is commonly seen in patients with insulin resistance before diabetes develops.
Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be the trigger for arteries to harden. It causes chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Endothelial dysfunction can be identified when arteries do not completely dilate when exposed to a trigger. Your doctor can measure dilation with an ultrasound. If there is not enough dilation, it is a sign that the endothelium cells are not producing enough nitric oxide.
Normal functioning endothelial cells should make and react to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is produced and used by the body to control inflammation and remove free radicals that can lead to oxidative stress and vascular diseases. It is now known that type 1 diabetics can benefit from supplementing with the best vitamin C in addition to controlling blood glucose levels with insulin. Vitamin C has been shown to improve epithelial function and can even help to increase insulin sensitivity. Many doctors recommend antioxidant therapy in conjunction with insulin administration. If you supplement with vitamin C, the endothelial cells can actually regain their full function and prevent deadly complications of type 1 diabetes.
Vitamin C controls inflammation, regulates cholesterol levels, and clears out free radicals that can affect more cells. Studies show that the blood serum levels of vitamin C must be high enough to achieve the desired results. Lower quality vitamin C products may have oxidized contaminates that can do more harm than good, so that is why it is recommended that you use only the best vitamin C products on the market. If you plan on buying discount vitamins, be sure that you are purchasing them from a reputable site that provides high quality vitamins and supplements.
About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with discount vitamins and the best vitamin C since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality, low-cost wholesale vitamins today!
